Calypso Magic (Magic Trilogy 2)

"It is you who will be laughed at! And no one will believe you, they will think you are trying to protect that little slut from God knows where!"

"Charlotte, you make me forget that I am a gentleman and do not strike women."

"No gentleman would threaten me as you are doing."

"And no lady would spread such filth. Tell me, Charlotte, why are you doing it? Why do you wish me to suffer for what you did? And Diana Savarol --- she's done nothing to you."

"I know all about your little mistress, that Lois girl, an opera girl, that you are keeping. What would your precious Diana think about that?"

To Charlotte's chagrin, Lyonel threw his head back and laughed deeply. "My little amour, you mean? That is priceless, Charlotte. You continue to amaze me. You also cannot imagine how I thank God each and every night that I discovered what a whore you were before I married you. Dear God, to believe that the future Earl of Saint Leven could have easily been another man's child." He stopped abruptly, his eyes cold and narrowed. "Listen well, Charlotte. It will stop, now. If you continue, you cannot believe how sorry you will be. Actually, I am tempted to tell the truth in any case. Dancy's estate is in Cornwall, you know. I imagine you will adore living there. Think of all the local men you could pleasure. Ah, yes, it is a seductive thought, is it not?"

If looks could have killed, Lyonel would have lain dead at her feet. Looks didn't kill. But words and gossip did.

"Well?"

Charlotte was made of stern stuff. She cursed him in fluent French. Lyonel laughed and repeated, "Well?"

"Damn you, Lyon! A man can have a mistress, but a woman cannot have a lover! It is not fair."

"Ah, Charlotte, it is true that I have a mistress, but you see, I am not promised to a lady. Had I married you, my dear, I would have been like a faithful hound. There lies a vast difference between us."

"I do not believe you. You are a man! Why, my father took every female on our estate, under my mother's nose. All of you are the same."

"I cannot speak about your father, but it is a pity that you do not believe me, for I am telling you the truth. Now, what will you do?"

"You haven't given me much choice, have you?"

"No, none at all. Will you do as I demand?"

Finally, she nodded, and he saw that it was abhorrent to her to bend to his will.

"And DuPres? Must I kill him, Charlotte?"

Charlotte paled a bit. She was fond of Etienne DuPres, who was now her lover. She shook her head. "No, I shall speak to him."

"Wise of you. Do tell me, Charlotte, before you leave this room and my sight, for I am truly interested. Why did you play me false before our marriage?"

She rose and automatically shook out her skirts, her hand going to her beautifully coiffed hair to straighten it. She met his eyes and shrugged. "I was stupid," she said. She turned, head held high, and left the room.

Lyon stared after her. It was odd but he felt an unwonted pang of pity for her. No, he told himself firmly, she wasn't worth a moment's pity. He would speak to Lucia, then tell Diana to keep her mouth shut.

Diana quickly moved behind a huge potted fern when Charlotte swept from the antechamber. She was trembling with what she had heard. She turned to slip away when she felt a strong hand close around her throat.

"Well! So, along with all your other sterling qualities, you are also an eavesdropper. Very charming, Diana."

Diana turned slowly to face Lyonel. His hand remained about her throat. He was enraged, but she didn't at first realize it. How could he have come up to her so very quietly?

"I am sorry," she managed, wishing he would release her. "It is just that I saw you accompany Lord Danvers, then Charlotte came here. I had to ---"

"Had to hear every gruesome detail, my dear? I assume that your ear was pressed against the door?"

She nodded, swallowing.

His fingers were following the lines of her throat --- quite gently, really.

"Are you going to strangle me?"

He gave a glimmer of a smile, an evil smile to Diana's eyes. "Here? I fancy if I did you would yell the ballroom down upon my head."